


Dadship

by EveHypo555



Category: Thai Actor RPF, เกลียดนักมาเป็นที่รักกันซะดีๆ | TharnType: The Series (TV) RPF
Genre: Dating Mew Suppasit Jongcheveevat/Gulf Kanawut Traipipattanapong | MewGulf Pen Faen Gun, Domestic Fluff, M/M, Married Couple, Married Sex, Mpreg, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-01-28
Packaged: 2021-03-18 17:47:56
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28996224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EveHypo555/pseuds/EveHypo555
Relationships: Mew Suppasit Jongcheveevat/Gulf Kanawut Traipipattanapong
Comments: 5
Kudos: 121





	1. Baby Mine

Mew adjusts the volume on the wireless speaker. He plays Bizet's L'Arlésienne Suite No. 1 on his phone and lays the speaker on top of Gulf's tummy. The soft orchestral music fills the air. 

Gulf smiles and leans back on the couch. His swollen belly peeks out from under his shirt. 

"Does classical music really help the baby?" 

Mew shrugs and tugs his shirt down. "It can't hurt. Should we play her some Kpop, too?"

Gulf laughs at his husband. "Like you said, it can't hurt." 

Mew holds up a set of paint chips. "Okay, time to make a decision. Tiffany's blue or baby pink?" 

He groans and rubs his belly. "I still don't know. You pick." 

"She's our child." 

"But the nursery is your project. You know I'm useless when it comes to decorating." 

Mew nods and makes a noise. "True. If we go with the blue, we can make the nursery designer themed." He looks at the pink. "But if we do pink, we could do-" 

"Don't say Blackpink."

"Bla- oh. You don't like that?" 

"A Blackpink nursery?" 

Mew runs a hand through his hair. "Strawberry themed?" 

Gulf looks up at the ceiling. Strawberry sounds nice. It's Mew's favorite fruit, and they're sure to find plenty of thematic toys and decor. Nalak. "Strawberry," he confirms. 

Mew beams. "I'll get the paint tomorrow. But first…" he checks his watch. "Time for baby's English lesson." 

"Mew…" Gulf shoves his arm. "She won't understand you, whether it's in English or Thai." 

"You don't have to listen." He hands him his phone and earbuds. "You can play your game, and I can teach… Shia, we still don't have a name for her." 

"Language, Suppasit." 

"Sorry, tua-aeng. Sorry, baby." 

Gulf chuckles, but his husband does have a point. He's already seven months pregnant and they still haven't settled on a name. Mew’s still not talking to his cousin who named her daughter Emma, and it feels like everyone in Gulf’s generation is naming their children Alexander or Natasha. Sometimes it sucks being a trendsetter. 

“Maybe we shouldn’t do a Western name,” says Mew. He gathers the English books from the shelf. “Maybe we should follow the Thai tradition.”

“And by Thai tradition, you mean nicknaming our child after an English word?” 

“Yes.” He breaks into laughter. 

Gulf shrugs at him. "Why not Strawberry?" 

"Too long." 

"Pink?" 

He thinks about it for a moment. He says it out loud a few times to test it. "Pink. Pink." He leans down and presses his cheek against Gulf's stomach. "Pink, do you like that name?" 

Gulf feels a kick and he laughs. "She either loves it or hates it." 

Mew sits up and kisses him. It's soft and gentle, like when they first started dating. Tender kisses that tell Gulf he's precious to his Khun Phi. "I like Pink." 

"Me, too." 

_____________________ 

Gulf wiggles his toes as he takes another bite of his chicken tender. There’s a football game on TV, the aircon is at the perfect temperature, and he remembered to pee before settling in. All in all, it's been a wonderful afternoon. 

"Honey, I'm home." Mew enters with his hands behind his back. No doubt another surprise for little Pink. Gulf waves from the couch as he takes a slurp from his lemonade. He really wishes Mew hadn’t banned sodas from the house when they found out he was pregnant. He still remembers watching him give away their bottles of coke to the neighbors.

"Cheat day," Gulf reminds him, his arms tightening protectively around his box of chicken. He’s not a violent man, but at this stage in his pregnancy, he won’t give up his chicken without a fight. 

Mew laughs and shakes his head. "I remembered, baby. That's why I brought you this." He brings one arm to the front, holding a styrofoam container. "Crispy pork for my little pork chop."

Gulf reddens at the endearment. After all, it's the nickname Mew used the night he knocked him up. "You know what I like." 

"I certainly do." He brings out his other hand, which holds the latest video game handheld. "Everyone keeps sending gifts for the baby, but I thought it was equally important to pamper my cute hubby for carrying our child." He approaches and kneels next to him. 

Gulf is suddenly gasping for air, his sight blurred with tears. He wipes his eyes, trying to hold back his sobs. Why does Mew have to do such sweet things for him? 

"What's wrong, tua-aeng?" Mew caresses his cheek. "Baby, what's the matter?" 

Gulf is ugly crying at this point. He grasps at Mew's shirt and shoves the box of chicken tenders off his belly. He needs to hold his husband right now or he'll burst. He pulls at him until he’s safely in his arms. "Hor-hormones," he bawls. "Wh-why are you s-s-so good to me?" 

Mew's arms form a cocoon around him. He smells like sporty deodorant and hairspray. "Yai Nong… I just want to take care of you and show my appreciation for having you in my life." He runs his fingers through Gulf's hair. "Can't I pamper my beautiful, pregnant husband?" 

Gulf sniffles and beams at him. He knows perfectly well how much Mew adores him in this state. Plump and round and demanding. Glowing is the word he uses most often. He just wishes the hormones wouldn't make him so erratic. And hungry. So hungry. He reaches for his box of chicken strips, but they're just out of arm's length. 

Mew laughs so hard he shakes them both. "Don't you want the pork instead?" 

Gulf's eyes zone in on the styrofoam container on the coffee table. He kicks his legs in an effort to sit up. His husband laughs even harder. 

"Here, baby." He hands him the food and a plastic fork. 

Gulf digs in. He only gets a cheat day every other week. It's his fault, really, for letting Mew take him to a dietician. It's been eight months of leafy greens, yogurt, beans, and poached salmon. Not to mention lean, flavorless meat, because the doctor said spicy food could exacerbate his morning sickness and heartburn. 

Gulf moans as the crispy fat melts into his mouth. "You do love me." 

"I do." Mew opens the box for the handheld and plugs it in to charge. "And when you're done, you can play all night." He pulls several games out of the box and shows them to him. 

Gulf sniffles again and wipes his eye. "You spoil me na, Phi." 

"It's my privilege." 

________________________ 

Mew turns the final screw in their fancy, imported, European crib. He tests its stability and smiles to himself. Only the best for his little Pink. 

"About time," says Gulf. He stands in the doorway, his round face drawn up in his characteristic smirk. 

"It's not my fault it took this long to ship from Germany."

"It's your fault for buying a German crib. They make cribs in Thailand, you know." 

Mew nods. He may have gone a bit overboard with the whole nursery project. And well, the entire pregnancy, really. He's still convinced the classical music and the English lessons will have a positive effect. 

He watches Gulf look around the room, at the strawberries Mew painted on the walls. The far end, however, has a field mural with a bright sun and lush grass. In front of it is a kiddie football goal and a pink football. That was Mew's surprise for Gulf. His heart leaps at the tiny smile playing on his husband's lips as he plays with the panda bear plushie on the rocking chair. He's so beautiful like this. His skin is glowing and radiant, his belly is round and adorable. Even his chubby feet are cute. He always knew Gulf would look gorgeous pregnant, and he was right. 

Mew wraps his arms around him, as much as he can reach. He kisses the soft skin of his neck and nuzzles against him. "You're so beautiful," he whispers. 

Gulf curls into his touch. How perfectly he fits in his arms. Mew runs his hands over the bump in his husband's tummy, and desire washes over him. Gulf is so deliciously plump and squishy, and he presses open mouthed kisses to his neck. 

"Can I make love to you?" He asks. Gulf nods and leads him to the bedroom. 

Mew takes his time undressing him. He lifts his shirt over Gulf's head, kissing him all over. Tummy, chest, shoulders, neck. His skin is the softest it’s ever been, and he even tastes a little sweet. Mew pulls him in for a kiss. It's deep and passionate, and Mew caresses his cheek as he slides his tongue into his mouth. 

Gulf lays sideways as they make love. It's slow and sweet, the way Gulf likes it on weekend mornings. He's so warm and tight as Mew thrusts into him. He runs his hands over Gulf's tummy, grinding deep inside him to hit his prostate. His moans echo in their bedroom. How Mew loves the sound, loves the way his husband looks with his glowing skin and his soft body. He squeezes Gulf's arm and kisses his shoulder. He wants a lifetime of this, of tender lovemaking and gentle kisses. Of Gulf's soft whimpers as he reaches his climax. And when they come together, he whispers to his Yai Nong how much he loves him. 

They lie entwined in each other's arms afterwards, Gulf's forehead glistening with sweat. Mew dabs it with a tissue and kisses his cheek. 

"Mew?" He looks up at him with his big Bambi eyes. 

"Hm?" 

He bites at his bottom lip. "Will you… will you still find me attractive when I'm no longer pregnant?" 

The question takes him by surprise. "Alai na?" 

His husband nods. "I know you love me like this, with my big fat belly and my _glow_ , but the baby is almost here. I won't be like this for much longer." 

Mew can't help the smile spreading across his lips. His silly husband. How could he ever think such a thing? "Tua-aeng, I've been in love with you far longer than you've been pregnant." 

"Yes, but you've been talking about it for years. And now you've finally got it, and-" 

"And it's been wonderful going through this experience with you." He kisses the tip of his nose.

"But I also miss un-pregnant you. I miss you being able to eat what you want and play football. I miss sitting in your lap. I miss sharing clothes with you." 

Gulf rolls his eyes. "But would you still find me attractive? I'll have a hideous scar from the C section." 

He kisses his lips this time. "I love your pregnant belly and I love your little coconut milk belly. And even that brief time you had a six pack." He touches Gulf's stomach and smiles. "And I'll still find you attractive with a big scar." 

"Yeah, that six pack was too much work." 

"The point is, Tua-aeng, that I've always found you attractive, and I always will." 

Gulf holds out his pinky. "Promise na?" 

"Promise." 

_____________________ 

Mew sits at his desk at the studio headquarters. They've just signed on a new talent and he's got a stack of paperwork to approve. He's supposed to meet Mild for lunch, but he might have to cancel to catch up on some work. 

There's a knock at the door and Nong Stu brings in a vase of flowers. "From your husband, boss." 

He smiles and thanks his employee. The attached card says, 

To my beloved hubby, 

Please bring home some crispy pork. 

Love always, 

Gulf 

Mew laughs out loud in his office. He reaches for his phone but it's already ringing. Speak of the devil. "I just got your dinner order," he says when he answers. "They're lovely." 

"Mew!" Gulf sounds out of breath. "The contractions started." 

Mew jumps up and walks around the room. What is he looking for? "Baby, just breathe. I'm on my way!" 

"They're far apart, so you've got time, but this baby is definitely coming. I was on the phone with my mom when they started, so my folks will meet us at the hospital." 

Mew grabs his car keys from the desk. He glances around the office for anything else he might need. "I'm leaving now. I'll be home as soon as possible." He stops right before opening his door. "I love you, tua-aeng." 

Gulf laughs on the other end, but it turns into a sharp gasp. "Ooowww… I love you, too. See you soon."

Mew throws open his office door. "The baby's coming!" He shouts. His employees all turn and cheer. He beams and makes his way for the elevator. 

He calls his mom first as he jogs to his car. "Mama! The baby's coming! I'm leaving the office now. Will you call Jom for me?" 

He calls Mild next. "Code pink! The baby's coming!" 

Mild's exaggerated gasp plays over the speaker phone. "Code pink! Shia! What do you need me to do?" 

"Can you bring some crispy pork when you come to the hospital? I’ll let you know when visitors are allowed." 

"You got it." 

He's a mess by the time he arrives at the house. Gulf, meanwhile, is his usual calm self. He leans against the kitchen counter, rubbing his belly and taking deep Lamaze breaths whenever he gets contractions. Mew, however, runs around in a state of panic. Gulf insisted he change out of his suit so he could be more comfortable at the hospital. 

"We're forgetting something, I just know it!" 

Gulf laughs and takes a drink of water. "Everything is already in the overnight bag, remember? You checked it twice last night." 

Mew finishes zipping his jeans. "Okay then, let's go!" 

"Mew." 

"Alai na?" 

Gulf points to his feet. "Socks?" 

"Shia!" He runs for the bedroom. 

"Language, Suppasit!" 

He pulls a mismatched set of socks from the dresser. "Sorry, Tua-aeng. Sorry, baby." He takes a deep breath. Their baby is coming. 

__________________ 

She's… perfect. Gulf looks down at the tiny, plump creature in his arms and feels another wave of tears build up. He made her. He and Mew made this little person and he doesn't know how to feel about that. Other than absolutely elated. 

Mew leans over and kisses his forehead. "You were magnificent." 

Gulf presses his finger against her palm and she grabs at it. "Sawadee-khrab, little Pink. I'm your pho and that's your papa bear." He looks up and smiles at his husband. 

"Sawadee-khrab, baby Pink." He touches her cheek. "Your pho is the most amazing man in the world." 

"She's perfect, right?" Gulf looks at her. "She's perfect. She's absolutely perfect."

"Yes." 

He's crying again. His daughter is the most miraculous thing in the world. After nine months of her kicking him and pushing on his bladder, she's finally here and he can't imagine how they've spent all this time without her. 

Mew kisses him on the cheek. "How long do you think until she's big enough to fit into the Gucci onesie?" 

"Oh, Mew…" 


	2. Pho Goes Back to Work

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gulf starts working again after taking a year off to stay home with Pink, and Mew adjusts to being a stay at home dad.

Gulf pauses at the front door and looks back at his husband. Their daughter stands next to him, making her teddy bear wave goodbye. "Are you sure?" he asks. 

Mew smiles, crouching down next to Pink. "Yes, I'm sure. Look, N'Bear-Bear says have a good first day back at work." 

Gulf's hand reaches behind him for the doorknob. "If you say so… I can still cancel, you know." 

Pink laughs and turns to Mew. "See, Papa, I told you! Pho's scared of work." 

"It's called being lazy, sweetheart. L-a-z-y." He boops her nose and grins at his husband. 

Gulf's hands are at his hips. "I'm not even gone yet and this is what you're teaching her?" 

"Have a good day, Tua-aeng." Mew scoops up their daughter and brings her to the door. "Give us both a kiss." 

Gulf sighs, leaning down to sniff at Pink's cheek. He glares at Mew before pecking him on the lips. "You have the number for the photoshoot?" 

"Shoo!" 

"Bye-bye, Pho!" Pink blows him a kiss. 

Something tugs at Gulf's heart as he waves goodbye to his child. Shia, why is this so hard? He closes the door behind him, the last glimpse of his family being both of them laughing at him. Scared of work. How fucking true. 

Mew wipes the tears from his eyes. He sets Pink back down and crouches in front of her. "Well, it's just me and you now, Neu-kai." _Chicken cutlet_. "What shall we do first?" 

Pink's eyes go round and soft, just the way Gulf's do. "Pho usually does my hair in the morning." 

"Okay, let's go." He holds her by the hand and leads her to the bathroom. How hard can it be? 

"Ow, Papa, that hurts." 

Mew lets go of the braid he's attempting. "Sorry na, Neu-kai. Um, let me see…" he combs it out and sighs. "Show me the tutorial again?" 

"It's okay, Papa." She turns off the tablet. "It took Pho days to learn how to do a Dutch braid." 

"It did?"

She nods in the same cute, exaggerated way that Gulf does. "He used to practice on my dolls." 

Mew laughs, imagining the determined look on Gulf's face. He sniff kisses the top of her head. "How about pigtails, then?" 

"Kha!" She giggles and claps her hands. "Make them really high, okay?" 

"Khrab." 

____________________ 

"What's the matter, Neu-kai?" Mew looks at the fancy china laid out on the table. "You said you wanted to play tea party." 

Her little face is so confused. She lifts one of the teacups and giggles. "Aow. I didn't mean this kind of tea, Papa." 

Alai wa? Mew sits and looks at N'Bear-Bear in the seat next to him. He spent ten minutes stuffing him into that shirt and waistcoat. "What other kind of tea party did you mean?" 

Pink's eyes light up and she leads him and N'Bear-Bear to her bedroom. Her little play table is set up with tall plastic cups and plates of plastic hamburgers. 

"Pho and I have iced tea, like they do in the United States!" She sits and pours pretend tea from her Hello Kitty pitcher. 

Mew laughs and crouches down to hug his daughter. "Urrgghh, nalak-nalak!" So cute! He squeezes ever so slightly and kisses her plump little cheek. Of course this would be Gulf's interpretation of a tea party. 

"Daaaad," says Pink in English. "It's time for tea." 

"Alai na?" He looks at her and smiles. "What did you say?"

She huffs and points to the chair. "It's time for American tea, so we have to speak English." 

"Oh…" he rushes to his seat and stares in wonder. So, this is how Gulf kept up with her English lessons. His husband is a genius. "Thank you for inviting me." 

"You are welcome." She smiles and takes her seat. "Do you want a hamburger?" 

"Yes, please." He pretends to take a bite. "Mmm… yummy. Pink, honey, what English has your Pho taught you?" 

She holds up a finger while she pretends to chew. "Animals. Food. More food." She tilts her head and looks up at the ceiling the way Gulf does when he's thinking. "Feelings." 

"Feelings?" 

She nods. "Yes, like this. Happy!" She smiles wide. "Sad." She frowns. "Angry!" She puts her hands on her hips and huffs. 

Mew bursts into laughter. She's like a miniature Gulf in pigtails. Everyone says her features look more Jongcheveevat than Traipipattanapong, but her mannerisms and expressions are all Gulf. 

Mew reaches across the table and pinches her cheek. "Nalak." 

"English, Dad!" 

"Oh, right. I forgot." 

______________________ 

Pink hits the play button on her little white boombox. A rap beat starts and she bobs her head to it. "Okay, okay go!" She points at her father. 

Mew dances to the beat and starts one of the raps he's heard Gulf do. 

"Cut! Cut!" Pink stops the music. "Papa, that's someone else's rap. That's cheating." She wags her finger at him. 

"Wait, what?" He looks at N'Bear-Bear with his sideways baseball cap. "How is that cheating?" 

She sighs and shakes her head. "Rap Battle is always freestyle, duh." 

"Oh, duh." He nods and smiles. Shia. Mew runs a hand through his hair. "Um… what about other kinds of music? Neu-kai, you know your Papa is a musical artist, khrab?" 

"Kha!" She points to his Platinum records on the living room wall. "Pho plays your music all the time." 

Mew's chest tightens and he kneels down in front of her. "He does?" 

"You're his favorite, Papa." She leans forward and whispers, "I think he likes you." 

"I like him, too," he whispers back. 

They giggle together and he reaches out to tickle her. That's one thing she didn't inherit from Gulf: his lack of ticklishness. She shrieks and squirms in his arms, laughing and kicking into the air. 

They fall back onto the rug, side by side and panting. "Pink?" 

"Papa?" 

"Do you want me to teach you how to play an instrument?" 

"Kha!" She sits up and starts slapping at his stomach. "I want to play the drums!" 

Oh, shia. 

_____________________ 

Mew pushes his tiny racecar past Pink's monster truck. "Vroooom!" He makes a screeching noise and does a series of doughnuts in front of her. 

"Uh oh!" She rolls her truck over his car and makes fake screaming noises. "Aaahh you're crushing us! Oh no!!!" 

Mew stares at the vehicular collision. He had no idea his daughter was so violent. "Huh." He flips the car back over. "Oh, look! They're okay, because they were wearing their seatbelts!" 

Pink picks up N'Bear-Bear and sets him on top of the car. "Monster attack! Blegh blegh. Yum yum. Dinner!" She cackles and rubs his paws together. 

Double shia.. 

___________________ 

"Alai na?" Gulf's voice sounds distracted. There's conversation and music in the background. 

"Then she made the bear eat them," Mew hisses into the phone. He looks over his shoulder at little Pink with her headphones on, listening to drum beats on the tablet. "Why is she so violent, Tua aeng?" 

His laugh is warm, and it only makes Mew miss him even more. "Because she's a kid," he says. "They like chaos." 

"It's scary." 

"It's normal." 

Mew sighs and looks at her again. She's picked up two pencils and is pretending to drum with them. Oh God, did she choose the drums because she wants to hit things? 

"Thilak?" Gulf asks. "Should I come home?" 

Huh? "No!" Mew takes a deep breath. "No, I'm overreacting. I didn't mean to bother you, baby. I'll see you tonight. Love you." 

"Love you." He chuckles. "And Mew? You're doing great." 

Mew hangs up and watches Pink flinging her little arms in the air, completely out of rhythm but having a blast. She catches him staring and pulls off the headphones. "Are you done, Papa? Can we go back to playing?" 

He nods and spots her dolls on the sofa. "Let's play with these," he suggests.

"Kha!" She picks one up and holds her arm in the air. "Super secret spies! Come on, Papa, we have to save the Prime Minister from the bad guys!" She makes the doll do a series of karate chops and kicks. 

He just can't win, can he? 

____________________ 

Gulf hears voices stop abruptly as soon as he slides his key into the lock. 

"He's here!" Says Pink. 

"Sshhhh, come hide." 

Gulf holds back his laughter as he pushes the door open to a suspiciously dark house. He slips off his shoes and turns on the lights. "Oh, I guess Pink and Papa went to the store," he says in a loud voice. 

Pink jumps out from behind the sofa. "Merry Christmas!" She waves her arms and hops up and down. 

Mew stands, shaking his head. "I told her it was the wrong month, but she didn't want to shout surprise." 

"Everyone expects surprise," she says matter-of-factly. 

Gulf laughs, both at his daughter's cleverness and his husband's startled expression. It seems Mew still hasn't realized how intelligent their child is. He picks her up and kisses her squishy cheeks. "You're so smart, my little strawberry!" He sniff kisses the top of her head. "Merry Christmas, my baby." 

Pink looks over at Mew. "See, Papa? He gets it." 

The smile Mew gives him is tender and warm and it reminds him of when they were dating. It's the kind of smile he gives him after they've been apart for too long. "Of course he does. How was your day?" 

He shrugs. "Just work. I'd rather hear about your day." 

Mew kisses him. Not the tiny peck from this morning, but a real kiss that makes his heart cry out from happiness. "First, your surprise." He leads Gulf to the dining room. 

"Tadum!" Shouts Pink. 

The table is set with their fine china and a large bouquet of sunflowers. Dinner is hamburgers and iced tea. 

Mew wraps an arm around his waist and pulls him close. "Welcome home from your first day back at work, Tua-aeng." 

"Dad, English!" 

"Sorry!"


	3. Tom Luad Moo Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just what is normal for the Jongcheveevat household?

Mew can't restrain the smile on his face. He watches Gulf set out his things for the next day: clothes, shoes, messenger bag.

Gulf looks at him over his shoulder. "What are you grinning about?"

"I missed watching you prep for work," he says, wrapping his arms around him and kissing his shoulder. "I forgot how cute it is." He squeezes him and watches his ears turn red. After all these years, he can still make his husband blush.

"I don't want to forget anything."

"And it's adorable." He gets into bed and admires the spectacular view of Gulf's ass as he bends over to pack his bag. "Ugh, Tua-aeng, I want to make love to you, but I'm too tired." He pouts and lies back against the pillows.

"Good, I'm tired too." Gulf joins him under the covers and snuggles against him. "I forgot how exhausting wardrobe fittings are. How did I ever do this day after day?"

Mew's hands find their way to his husband's ass. A year of staying at home did wonders for its plumpness. "Mmm… are you sure you're too tired?"

"Early day tomorrow, Thilak." He kisses him on the forehead, then the nose, and then the lips. "Are you sure you're okay with taking time off?"

Mew pulls him close, sniffing his cheeks and kissing him softly. "Yes. The studio is practically running itself, and I can check in once a week. I want you to go back to work without feeling guilty."

"But-"

"And I want to spend time with our daughter." He sighs and lays against Gulf's chest. "It was surreal today, Tua-aeng. I realized I hardly know her. I can't believe I missed so much."

"I'm glad you have this opportunity, then." Gulf rubs his arm. "Thank you for the iced tea and hamburgers. I missed playing tea party. I missed her all day long."

"She missed you, too. Did you really practice the Dutch braid on her dolls?"

Gulf laughs and nods in his cute and exaggerated way. The nod that their daughter picked up from him. "Turns out, it's just a reverse French braid."

"You know how to do that, too?"

Gulf looks up and counts off on his fingers. "French, Dutch, fishtail, reverse fishtail, waterfall, mermaid, ladder, twist, and feather."

Mew lifts Gulf's shirt and blows raspberries on his tummy. "Have I told you today how amazing you are?"

"Not today, no."

"You're amazing."

Gulf raises an eyebrow at him. "But _how_ amazing?"

"Incredibly."

* * *

"Pho! Pho!" Pink dashes into their bedroom. "Pho, tom luad moo day! Tom luad moooooooo!" She climbs onto the bed and pokes Gulf in the stomach. Something she learned from her Papa, no doubt.

Gulf stirs and makes a growling noise. "Who dares disturb the trolls while we slumber?" He makes his voice low and gravely. "Is that a little girl I can gobble up for my breakfast?"

Mew pounces up from under the covers. "Nom nom nom, tasty little girl!" He tickles her tummy as Gulf scoops her up and pulls her under the blanket between them.

Pink giggles and squirms in their arms. "No, don't eat me! I taste yucky! I eat lots and lots of shrimp paste!"

"Ah, but trolls love shrimp paste!" Gulf pretends to nibble on the top of her head.

"Nom nom nom!"

"Phoooooo!" She wiggles away from him. "It's tom luad moo day!"

Mew pulls the covers down. "Tom luad moo day?"

"The food vendor down the street," Gulf explains. "Once a week she makes Pink's favorite breakfast."

"Isn't that the soup with the cubes of congealed pork blood?" Mew covers his mouth, wondering if he shouldn't have said that.

Pink giggles and bounces up and down on the bed. "The blood is the best part!"

Shia. Mew looks at his husband. Should he be concerned?

Gulf laughs at him. "She likes the way it jiggles."

Oh. Yesterday's violence is still fresh in his mind. But apparently, that's normal for a child. So says his husband.

"Pho can't go this morning," Gulf tells her. "But if you ask nicely, maybe Papa can take you." He looks at Mew with a pointed expression.

"Papa, pleeeaaaase?" She grabs his arm. "Please buy me some jiggly blood soup."

Gulf bursts into laughter and pulls her onto his lap. "What do you say, P'Mew khraaaab? Will you get her some jiggly blood soup?"

Well, this isn't fair. Getting double teamed by his husband and child first thing in the morning. He leans over to sniff kiss her forehead. "If my Neu-kai wants tom luad moo, she'll get tom luad moo."

She jumps out of the bed and starts dancing. "Jigg-a-ly blood! Jigg-a-ly blood! Tom tom tom luad luad luad moo moo moo!" She twirls a few times and finally stills, out of breath but exhilarated.

Gulf turns to look at his husband. "She's very easy to please. She gets that from me."

* * *

Mew looks at the soup in his plastic baggie. There's a mix of liver, kidney, intestines, minced pork, and the all-important congealed blood. And lettuce, but whatever. He holds Pink's hand as they walk back to their house.

"Papa?"

"Yes, my little Neu-kai?"

"Why did Khun Fern act weird to you?"

"Who?"

"The food vendor," she clarifies. "She kept giggling, but she also looked like she wanted to cry. She was like that with Pho the first time we went there, too."

Mew laughs and opens the gate. "Well, sometimes people act that way around someone who is famous."

"Fa...mous?" She tilts her head to the side, and her expression is the spitting image of Gulf's confused face. "What's that?"

They enter the house and remove their shoes. "Famous is when lots of people know who you are."

"Like having a lot of friends?"

Mew opens the bags and pours the soup into bowls. "Not exactly, Neu-kai." They sit at the table and start eating. "It's more like people know _about_ you, but they don't know you personally."

"Because of your music, Papa?" Pink scoops up a cube of congealed blood and makes it jiggle in her spoon. Surprisingly, her laugh sounds more like his own than Gulf's.

"Yes, and my artwork. And your Pho and I are known for our acting and modeling."

She slurps up a piece of liver. "Why do you and Pho have so many jobs? Are you bad at them?"

He laughs and ladles one of his blood cubes into her bowl. "No, quite the opposite. Your Pho and I worked very hard, and lots of wonderful people gave us their support. Their encouragement let us do many things."

"So, when you're famous, why do people act weird toward you?"

"Um..." He runs a hand through his hair. "They act weird because they admire us and it makes them nervous. Like if you met Mickey Mouse."

Pink sits up in her seat, eyes gone round and full of wonder. "Oh, wow. Mickey Mouse…" She narrows her eyes at Mew. "Are you and Pho as famous as Mickey Mouse?"

"Not even close."

"Oh." She seems less impressed. "Okay. Thanks na kha for the tom luad moo, Papa." She jiggles another cube of blood and giggles.

"My pleasure, Neu-kai."

* * *

Mew eyes himself in the mirror. "Do I have to wear the tutu?"

Pink prances around in her princess dress. She stops next to him and places her hands on her hips. "Why? Does Papa have a problem with wearing girlie clothes?"

"It's not that," says Mew, pouting at his reflection. "I just don't think it flatters my figure. Can't I be a mermaid princess?"

"No, Pho ripped the mermaid skirt last time."

"Damnit, Gulf."

"Language, Papa!"

"Sorry, Neu-kai." He adjusts his layers and layers of tulle. "Okay, fine. Maybe the right accessories will help."

Pink hands him several items to try on: a straw hat with a large sunflower, a long string of fake pearls, a pink feather boa, a pirate hat, a vampire cape, and a silky scarf.

"The black cape," she says with a nod. "And the sunflower hat!" She claps her hands and jumps in place.

Mew fastens it around his neck. "Huh, that really is better. Have you considered becoming a fashion designer?"

"All the time, Papa."

"Really?"

"No." She giggles at him. "What's a fashom designer?"

"Fashion," he corrects. "It's when you design clothes and outfits."

"Oh!" She twirls around. "Then, yes."

Mew rifles through her dress-up bin. "Let's pick out something for your pho."

Pink throws her hands in the air. "Pho is hopeless when it comes to dress up."

Mew's mind flashes to all the times he's had to tell Gulf not to wear sneakers to award shows. "Well, you're not wrong." But then he remembers his MOTH campaign and all the subsequent projects where Gulf played a larger role in his wardrobe selection. He may be bad at dress up, but the man can definitely dress.

* * *

Gulf smiles at his daughter's face on the phone screen. "Pigtails again, I see."

She tosses her head from side to side to make them bounce. "It's all Papa knows how to do."

He laughs and takes a bite of his lunch. "Where's your Papa now?"

Pink turns the camera to show Mew hunched over her little play table. "He's busy."

Gulf laughs at the sight of his husband so intent on the bundle of fabric in his hands. "Thilak, what are you doing?"

Mew looks up with a mouth full of pins. He makes a face and removes them from between his lips. "I'm mending the mermaid skirt, because _somebody_ tore it and didn't repair it."

"Is he talking about you, Pho?"

"Yes, noodle, Papa means me." He shakes his head at him. "It slipped my mind. But I'm impressed. I didn't think you knew how to sew…"

"I don't."

Pink leans into frame and shakes her head. "He really doesn't."

* * *

Mew holds Pink's hand as they walk through the grocery store. "What's next on the list, Neu-kai?"

She looks at the ไข่ written on the piece of paper in her hand. "Um…"

Mew sets down his basket and crouches next to hear. "Go on, sound it out."

"Aahh… aaaiiii..." she pouts and glares at him. "I don't know."

"You're halfway there, baby. What's this letter?" He points to the ข.

"Kho khai," she answers. _Egg._

"And why is that letter called egg?"

She scrunched her nose and giggles. "Because you use it to spell the word egg… oh!" She jumps up and points at the word. "It's egg, Papa! It's egg, right?"

"How can you double check? What sound is this?" He points at the ไ.

"Ai!"

"Put them together and you get…?"

"Khai!" _Egg._

Mew squishes her cheek. "So smart! Just like your Papa. Let's go get some eggs."

They round the corner and Pink tugs on his hand. "Papa?"

"Hmm?"

"Why does the ไ come before the ข่ if the kh sound comes before the ai sound?"

"That's an excellent question, Neu-kai." He runs a hand through his hair. "Uh… let's look it up together when your Pho gets home from work."

Pink nods, but her grip on his hand gets stronger. "Papa…"

"Hmm?"

"Why are people staring at us?"

Mew looks up from the grocery list to see several people with their phones out, filming them as they walk through the store. Shia. He smiles and makes Wai to the small crowd that's gathered.

"Sawadee-khrab, thuk kohn." _Hello, everyone._ He scoops Pink into his arms and holds her against his chest. "I hope everyone is safe and happy today. I must ask you to refrain from filming, since I'm with my daughter. Thank you for understanding." He tries not to rush as he heads for the cashier.

Pink's arms are tight around his neck as the chatter of people grows louder. She hides her little face against his shirt and whimpers. "Papa, why are they following us?"

"Uh, they're just excited to see us, that's all."

"How do they know who we are?"

"Well…" He could kick himself. He thought for sure their neighborhood had gotten used to seeing him and Gulf running errands. How did Gulf buy groceries all this time? He pays for the few items they managed to get and leaves as calmly as possible. Pink's grip hasn't let up one bit. "It's okay, Neu-kai." He rubs her back.

"Is it because you're famous, Papa?" She whispers, as if afraid someone might hear.

He sighs and hugs her close, her tiny body curled against him in fear. "I'm sorry, my baby. Yes, it's because Papa is famous." They get to the car and he drives around a bit before heading to the house, in case anyone is following them.

* * *

Gulf arrives home smiling but weary. He embraces his husband and child as they greet him at the door.

"Oh!" He looks at Mew in his tutu. "What's the occasion?"

"Fancy dinner party!" Pink jumps into his arms, dressed as a firefighter.

"Oh, that's exciting." He catches Mew's eye and raises an eyebrow. "What am I supposed to wear?"

Pink hands him the mermaid skirt. "Don't tear it again, okay? Papa is really bad at sewing."

"Hey!"

Gulf changes into his house clothes and slips the mermaid skirt over his shorts. Mew's stitching is horrific. He waddles out to the dining room and does a quick twirl for Pink as she claps for him.

"To complete the outfit," says Mew, placing the string of fake pearls around his neck. Mew's now wearing a vampire cape and a straw hat.

Gulf looks at the outfits and shrugs. "I've worn worse."

"I'm going to be a fashom designer!" shouts Pink.

"Fashion."

"That's what I said, Papa."

Dinner is pork massaman curry, courtesy of the restaurant around the block. "I wanted to cook for you, Tua-aeng," explains Mew. "But we had a bit of an adventure at the grocery store." He looks at Pink and she tenses up.

Gulf reaches for her hand. "What happened, noodle?"

She huffs and pushes around her food. "Everyone pretended to know us and take videos of us because Papa's famous."

Gulf startles and looks at his husband. "Alai wa?"

"I wasn't thinking," Mew confesses. "We've shopped there so many times without any incident, I didn't think anything would happen."

"No, you're right." Gulf presses on his temples. "It's never been an issue before. This is a problem now."

Pink looks back and forth between her fathers. "Pho, are you mad?"

"No, noodle," he leans over and sniff kisses her forehead. "Pho is just concerned about people bothering you and Papa." He gives Mew a look that he returns with a heavy sigh.

* * *

"You told Pink that we're famous?" Gulf dries the last dish that Mew hands him.

"Well, yeah. She was wondering why people acted weird around me." He wipes around the sink and washes his hands. "What's the matter, Tua-aeng?

Gulf bites at his bottom lip. "I just thought we weren't going to tell her for a while."

Mew nods, wrapping an arm around him. He anticipated as much of a response. "She has to know our situation, baby. It's not safe." He kisses his shoulder. "People recognize her, and she needs to know that just because someone knows stuff about her fathers, it doesn't mean they're trustworthy."

"No, you're right. You're right." He nods, resigned. "You didn't tell her about our financial situation, though, right?"

The hairs on Mew's neck bristle. Not this again. "No, I didn't tell her we're rich. Why is that such a big deal for you?"

"I don't want her thinking she's better than other people just because she comes from money."

"But she _is_ better than other people." God, he hates having this argument. "She's clever and intelligent and adventurous. I don't want her to underestimate herself, and I certainly don't want her to apologize for being rich."

"That's not what I meant. And I thought you agreed with me." He crosses his arms. "Isn't that why we decided to raise her modestly? No maids, no designer clothing, no celebrity lifestyle?"

Mew isn't having it, though. "I think I know exactly what you mean. You don't want her to be a snob like me, right?"

Gulf groans and moves away. They're having this fight again, after all. "Don't take this personally, Mew."

"How can I not take it personally when you always speak disparagingly about my upbringing? About having maids and a big house?" Something flashes in his eyes underneath the anger: pain. "What's so bad about me that makes you judgemental about how I grew up?"

Shia. Gulf reaches for him, but he pulls away. "Thilak, I don't mean to insult your upbringing. There's nothing wrong with you. I didn't mean to make you feel that way."

"But?"

"But… I don't want our fame and our wealth to go to her head. I don't want her to get used to having everything she wants and not being able to handle disappointment." He shrugs. "I want her to learn the value of hard work." Is that so bad?

"And you don't think I know the value of hard work?" The strain in Mew's voice catches him off guard. Everything is going so wrong.

"No, I don't mean- none of this is coming out right."

"Because it doesn't make sense." Mew's eyes are dark now. "You act as if you grew up poor. For fuck's sake, Gulf, you went to Suankularb Wittayalai. You were richer than your parents at age 22. You weren't exactly destitute."

"Mew-"

"If you hate rich people so much, why did you marry one?" It's the question that's always existed between them but was never asked out loud. The question that's lurked behind every financial argument, every version of this fight.

Gulf's hand is a fist, trying to contain his emotions. "That's not fair. I think you're overreacting. Don't raise your voice at me."

They look at each other for a long time. Eventually, Mew's eyes soften, though the hurt in them doesn't go away. "Maybe you're right. I'm sorry. I need you to watch Pink for a bit. I have to get something from the office."

"Thilak…"

He pauses at the kitchen door and sighs. "I love you, Tua-aeng." He walks back to him and kisses his cheek. "I'm not mad at you. I'm just hurt. I'll be back soon."

"Mew…" Gulf pulls him in for a kiss on the lips. "I'm sorry. We'll talk more when you get back?"

He nods and leaves. A heaviness settles in Gulf's chest. He really thought they were done having this fight. But seeing the pain in Mew's eyes brought a whole new perspective on things, one that Gulf's never considered. It wouldn't be the first time he's been wrong.

Pink sits in front of the television with a dinosaur toy in her lap and N'Bear-Bear at her side. She bounces in her seat along with the music.

"What are you watching, my little noodle?"

She claps her hands and points at the screen. "Penguins!"

Gulf joins her on the couch, scooping her up and setting her on his lap. She already looks bigger than she did two days ago. It's just like Mew said- he missed so much when he was working.

"Pink, honey?"

She looks up at him with large half-moon eyes. Eyes that look just like Mew's. "Kha?"

"If I told you somebody was rich, what would you think about them?"

She looks down at her dinosaur and plays with its claws. "Rich?"

"It means when someone has a lot of money."

She giggles and looks back up. "They better have a big piggy bank!"

Gulf chuckles and turns her to face him. "What do you think about rich people? Do you think having more money makes them better than others?"

"Better at what?"

"Just…" he shrugs. "Better."

She squints at him and laughs. "Is this a riddle, Pho?"

He sighs and sniff kisses her forehead. "No, noodle. Just figuring stuff out."

"Maybe they're better at finding buried treasure and that's why they have lots of money."

"Maybe."

* * *

Mew returns to find his husband and daughter sitting on the couch, fast asleep. Both of their heads are slumped to the left, arms limp at their sides, and mouths slightly parted. Even their heavy breathing is in sync. He wastes no time in taking a picture. Something for Pink's graduation slideshow.

"Gulf," he rubs his arm to wake him. "Gulf, baby, you fell asleep."

His junior opens his eyes and smiles. It's his lazy, sleepy smile that Mew fell in love with back in workshops all those years ago. "Welcome back," he whispers. "I missed you."

"You missed me?" Mew raises an eyebrow. "To think, you never used to say these things."

His smile widens and he takes Mew's hand. "I just never said them to you. Let's get the little one to bed so we can continue our conversation."

Pink slaps at the water in the bathtub. "But why does shampoo come before conditioner?"

Gulf looks at Mew, their hands both covered in suds as they reach for their daughter's hair. "Uh… it's like doing laundry."

"Shai," says Mew. "You wash first, then you soften."

Gulf ladles some water over her head as she rinses her hair. "Don't forget behind your ears, noodle."

Mew pours a dollop of conditioner into her palm. "Be sure to comb it through to get the tangles out." He gives Gulf a pointed look. "Speaking of which, I think we need to get a better hairbrush."

"You haven't been brushing her hair when it's wet, right?"

"No?" He exchanges looks with Pink, who freezes in place. "Is that bad?"

Gulf laughs and flicks a bit of water at him that leaves a wet spot on his shirt. "Brushing while it's wet might give her split ends."

"How do you know all this?"

Pink looks up, her hands still working through her hair. "Yeah, how do you know this, Pho?"

"I researched it."

Mew laughs and winks at his husband. "You were always good at research." How can he ever forget 21 year old Gulf telling him about the gay porn he watched as research?

"Mew!"

"OoOOooOooOOooh!" Pink wags a finger at him. "That means you're in trouble, Papa!"

"Uh-huh." Mew scoops another ladle of water to help her wash out the conditioner. "I'm always in trouble with your Pho."

"And the prince and the princess lived happily ever-"

"Pho?"

"Hmm?" Gulf looks up from the fairytale book.

"How come there aren't any stories about a prince and a prince living happily ever after?"

Ah, shia. Gulf looks at his husband. "Um… let's ask your Papa. He's got a PhD, after all."

Mew's eyes widen. "In industrial engineering, not _this._ "

"Papa?" Pink's curious expression is so sincere, and possibly even hurt. "How come there aren't princesses and princesses, either?" Oh, great.

"These are excellent questions, Neu-kai." He scratches his head. "It's probably because these stories are very old, and…" he looks at Gulf.

"A-and princesses could only marry princes back in the olden times."

"Olden times?" Pink and Mew ask at the same time.

Gulf throws his hands up. "I'm not a historian."

Mew laughs and pats her hair. "I think what your Pho is trying to say is that a long time ago-"

"How is that better than _olden times_?"

"Shh, Tua-aeng." He pats his hair, too. "A long time ago, princes weren't allowed to marry other princes. And princesses weren't allowed to marry other princesses."

"Why?"

Mew and Gulf look at each other and groan. "Uh… why don't we start a notebook with questions that we can answer when it's not bed time…" Gulf finds an empty Hello Kitty notebook and starts writing. "Let Pho and Papa do some research, and we can talk about it when we find the right answer, okay?"

Pink nods and snuggles under the covers. "You and Pho are married, right, Papa? They should have more books like that."

Mew smiles and sniff kisses the top of her head. She smells like strawberries. "They should, Neu-kai. Maybe you could write one someday."

She sits up, eyes wide and excited. " _Anyone_ can write books?" She looks back and forth at both of them.

Gulf bursts into laughter. "Of course, noodle. But for now, it's time to sleep."

She reaches frantically for Mew's arm. "Papa, will you teach me how to write a book?"

"Then you better work on your spelling," Gulf tells her, easing her back down onto the pillows. "Sleep so you'll have plenty of energy tomorrow."

"Okay!" She shuts her eyes tight. "I'm going to sleep right now!"

Mew catches Gulf's eye and smiles. They both lean down to kiss her cheeks.

"Goodnight, Neu-kai."

"Goodnight, noodle."

"Goodnight, Pho! Goodnight, Papa!"

* * *

Mew shuts Pink's door and they sit at the dining table together. "I'm sorry we fought earlier," he says, taking Gulf's hand.

He strokes his thumb over Mew's fingers and nods. "I'm sorry, too." He squeezes when Mew starts to speak. "No, wait. I want to add something."

"Hmm?"

He reaches out to touch Mew's cheek. "I'm sorry for being an asshole about your upbringing for all these years."

"Do you mean it?" He covers Gulf's hand with his own.

"Yes. I got so caught up in my perception of what it means to be wealthy, but I didn't think about the reality of it. You're not a stereotype. You're…" he shrugs and laughs. "Well, you know I think you're perfect. Even when you're not."

Mew's laugh is soft and forgiving. "I never needed you to think I was perfect, Tua-aeng. Just not a snob."

"Well, you're kind of a snob."

"Okay, maybe a little." They laugh together, leaning against each other's shoulders. "Gulf, I think we need to rethink the way we're raising Pink."

He sits up straighter and looks at his husband. "What do you mean?"

"We've shielded her from our fame and our wealth, but the longer she stays ignorant of them, the harder they will be for her to handle."

"What, like today?"

"More than that." Mew pulls out the files he brought from the office. "When our parents pass away, their businesses will go to us. And when we die, Pink will inherit an empire that consists of two companies, a studio, an art gallery, and more money than she will know what to do with."

Gulf looks at the financial papers in front of him. "Shia… is that really how much money we have right now?"

"Actually, this is out of date. We own quite a bit more." Mew points at the enormous sum at the bottom of the page. "Which is why Pink needs to be brought up as an heiress, and not as a regular little girl."

"Wait- so, what? She needs to… what does this mean?"

Mew sighs and squeezes his hand. "I think we should hire a staff. She needs to develop a natural sense of leadership. She needs to get used to being in charge."

Gulf holds up a finger. "Wait, wait, wait… I don't think it's a good idea to let her tell people what to do. You've seen how she is already."

"Which is exactly why she needs a controlled environment. Being the leader in a group of friends or bossing us around isn't the same as growing up around employees. She needs to learn how to give orders without abusing her privilege."

The heaviness is back in Gulf's chest. The idea of his little girl telling a maid what to do doesn't sit right in his stomach. "This sounds like a lot of power for a five year old to have."

"Baby, she's going to be a CEO one day." Mew squeezes his hand again. "All the more reason she should get used to wielding this power now, and doing it properly."

Gulf reflects on the first time he met Mew's housekeepers, the awkwardness he felt when being addressed as Khun Gulf. He remembers not knowing how to ask them for things, even though it was their job. "Shia, you're right. I'll need the practice, too, if I'll have to run my father's company someday."

"Then, I'll ask around about staffing tomorrow," says Mew. "We'll start small- a housekeeper and a nanny. What do you think?"

Gulf nods, then hesitates. "She should probably get accustomed to giving orders to men, too. I know most housekeepers and nannies tend to be women…"

"Should we hire a personal assistant, then?"

"You want to go from no staff to three staff members?"

Mew runs a hand through his hair. "Personal assistant and a nanny, then. It'll be good for Pink to have chores, anyway."

Gulf takes a deep breath. "We've never had anyone outside of family and friends take care of our child."

Mew caresses his cheek. "If done right, oftentimes household staff can become like family."

Gulf thinks about the maids who practically raised Mew. How he grew up listening to their stories, helping them with their work, and taking their advice. He thinks about the closeness they share, the trust that exists between them. What did Mew call them? Fictive kin?

"Khrab. Personal assistant and a nanny."

"She'll need to know about money, too."

"Mew, she's five."

"I'm not saying she has to trade stocks. But maybe she should get an allowance so she learns how to manage a small budget."

"Just… not too much responsibility at once, Thilak. Let's not overwhelm her, okay?"

"I won't, I promise." He kisses Gulf's forehead. "Besides, she's a Jongcheveevat. We're good at overseeing things."

"Yeah, well, she's also part Traipipattanapong," Gulf reminds him. "And I never have my shit together."

Mew laughs at his husband. "Shush, you're amazing." He kisses him on the lips. "I do worry about our fame, though. She's going to be recognized wherever she goes. She'll be known first as Mew and Gulf's daughter, and second as Pink Sasithorn Jongcheveevat."

"One thing at a time, love." Gulf rests his head on Mew's shoulder. He's never known anything as tiring as worrying about his daughter. "Maybe hire staff who have worked for someone famous, so they can help coach Pink on how to handle the public."

"You're brilliant." Mew pulls him in for a hug. "My brilliant and beautiful husband."

Gulf yawns and pats his back. "Uh-huh. Let's shower and go to bed na. I don't think I can take any more changes."

Mew pulls back and winces. "Oh, one more thing."

"I'm not going to like this, am I?"

"Pink wants to play the drums."

"Shia."

"Language, Kanawut."


	4. Tactical Support

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Jongcheveevat household gets a little bigger.

Gulf watches the young man playing dolls with his daughter. "So, you managed to find a male nanny."

Mew reclines in his seat. "He turned out to be the best candidate. He has a degree in early childhood education, great references, and Pink adores him." 

"So, since you've taken time off to take care of Pink… what's his job?"

"Tactical Support."

"Alai na?"

Mew leans in, his eyes wide and excited. "He knows how to do ALL the braids. And he's going to teach both of us how to do them."

"I see."

"Impressive, right? He's also going to teach us how to use a sewing machine."

"So, he’s an expensive YouTube tutorial?"

Mew makes a face. "That's not everything, Tua-aeng. He's going to ask her questions."

Gulf presses a hand to his forehead. He can’t stand when Mew does this, says things as if they were self-explanatory. "What does that even mean?" 

"You know… _what outfit should N'Bear-Bear wear today? What games should we put on the schedule?"_

"Schedule?" 

"To get her used to making decisions and setting a timetable."

Gulf sighs and shakes his head. "Doesn't that take the fun out of playing?" What’s next? Having to make an appointment to spend time with his daughter?

"Well, the schedule won't be just for playing. She'll have chores and lessons, too. And N'Pass will help her keep track of all that."

Gulf takes a deep breath. "So, less of a nanny and more of a personal assistant?" 

Mew opens his mouth to speak, but freezes. "Oh," he says after a second. "Yeah, I guess so." He wraps his arms around his husband and laughs. 

Gulf groans, but leans into the embrace all the same. "I assume he knows typical nanny things, right? CPR? Heimlich maneuver?"

Mew nods. "He also knows basic self defense, general first aid, and advanced arts and crafts."

"Advanced arts and crafts?" 

More laughter from his husband. "His accuracy with a glue gun is impeccable." 

"Fine," says Gulf, crossing his arms. "I don't know why a 5 year old needs a personal assistant, but where's ours?" 

"She's on her way." 

_________

Gulf sits in the living room with Pink and N'Pass. He reads through his resume for the fifth time as Pass plays patty cake with his daughter. 

"So, Nong," Gulf clears his throat. "What led you to pursue private childcare?" 

Pass looks up, his hands still keeping perfect time with the game. "I used to work at a daycare, but it just felt so impersonal." 

Gulf takes in the sight of his bleached blond hair and hoop earring. "And you always wanted to work with children?"

He smiles and shrugs. "Kind of? I wanted to produce children's television shows, but it turns out I hate working in an office." Pink changes clapping songs and Pass falls right in sync. "I like getting to work with kids much better. They're more fun than grown-ups. No offense na khrab." 

Gulf chuckles. "None taken." Okay, so the guy is likeable. He looks over at Mew and their new personal assistant in the dining room. 

"Hey, boss," says Pass. "I got the munchkin if you wanna join them." Gulf nods and walks over to his husband. 

"Ah, just in time, Tua-aeng." Mew beckons for him to sit with them. "N'Fay was just setting up our personal accounts on the app she designed." Gulf looks at Mew's iPad. 

Fay pulls up a dashboard on her tablet. "Each member of the household has their own profile, which includes their schedule, any materials they'll need for the day, directions and contact information for events, and a widget to display the weather."

Mew's smile widens. "So we know how to dress that day."

Gulf shakes his head and laughs. That's what he gets for marrying a fashionisto. "What's that button with a picture of a tee shirt?"

"Would you like to explain, P'Mew?" Fay gestures at the screen. 

"Oh!" Mew grins at his husband. "It's a clothing tracker! Everytime we buy or receive new clothes we can take a picture of it and add it to our wardrobe database."

"What does that accomplish?" 

Mew makes another face. "Think of the possibilities, Tua-aeng. You can browse through our entire wardrobe and put outfits together to see what they look like without trying them on." He nods as if to encourage Gulf to agree. "And you can take a picture of clothes in a store to check if we already own something like it. It'll help cut down on duplicate clothing."

Gulf shakes his head again. "Only you have that problem, Thilak." 

"I won't anymore." He laughs and wraps his arm around his shoulder. 

"It'll probably take a few days to catalogue your entire wardrobe," says Fay, "but I can get it up and running by next week."

Mew’s arm tightens as he leans in close. “Don’t worry, baby. She’s here to handle important things, too. N’Fay, would you show him the monthly and annual schedules?” 

Fay nods and brings up a calendar. “I cross referenced each of your schedules to identify when you’re both available for personal appointments. I’ve scheduled out everyone’s doctor check-ups, dental visits, optometrist, meetings with your accountant and financial advisors, parent-teacher conferences, and lawyers.” 

Gulf stares at the screen. He never realized all the coordinating that went into their lives. He just sort of did it. Seeing it all laid out and planned makes him feel lighter. He has fewer things weighing on his mind, things he has to keep track of. It’s all done. So, this is why people hire personal assistants. 

"Oh, and meals," Mew prompts. 

She nods and pulls up another tab on the app. "I created an algorithm that can plan your meals according to whatever specifications you set. If you wanted nothing but vegetarian food for breakfast," she nods at Mew, "you can set that filter and it will generate a monthly rotation of meals, along with the recipes and grocery lists." 

"Just think, Tua-aeng, we never have to worry about what to have for dinner. The app can plan it out according to our dietary preferences and space it out so we don't eat the same things as frequently." 

"But we don't have to follow the plan if we don't want to, right? If we wanted to go out, for instance."

"Not a problem, P'Gulf." Fay clicks a button. "If you choose not to eat the suggested meal, simply decline it and it will shift everything to the next day or you can skip it and go to the next suggestion."

It's one thing to have all their doctor appointments scheduled, but it's another to have so many aspects of his life pre-planned. Gulf takes a steadying breath and places a hand on Mew's leg. 

His husband takes the hint and turns off the tablet. "Thank you so much, N'Fay. Let's break for lunch and we can get back to discussions afterwards." He turns to him and smiles. "Gulf, shall we take everyone out for food?" 

"Shai." He nods and stands from the table. "I'll get Pink and Pass." 

His head feels clearer just walking away from the dining room. The rhythmic clapping game is comforting as he takes a seat in his favorite armchair. "Who's ready for lunch na?" 

Pink stops midair and smiles. "I am! Me, Pho! Are you hungry na, P'Pass?" 

"Famished," he says with a nod. 

"What is famish?" 

He helps her to her feet. "Famished," he repeats, spelling it out for her. "It means very, very hungry." 

"Oh, like Papa when he wakes up." 

Gulf bursts into laughter, startling N'Pass. "Yes, noodle, just like Papa." 

Lunch is much more relaxed than his meeting with N'Fay. Her business-like persona is still just as impenetrable, but perhaps she's just nervous. She would be the only woman in the house, after all. 

Pink sits in between him and Mew. Her feet kick back and forth under her chair and she hums a tune from her penguin tv show. It reminds him of Mew and his constant humming. He smiles and sniff kisses her head. 

One of his favorite perks of being married to Mew is not having to generate conversation around others. He's free to enjoy his food and pay attention to Pink while Mew does most of the talking. As promised, there's no mention of business at the table, just chit chat to get to know each other. He smiles, seeing everyone's happy faces. Maybe having a staff won't be so bad. 

________________

"Which one do you like, Neu-kai?" Mew stands in the middle of the music store with his family and their staff. 

Pink holds both her fathers' hands and stares at all the instruments. "Um…"

"You want to look at each kit?" Gulf leads them to the first set of drums. They let go of her so she can get a better view. Her eyes are wide as she approaches them, hands reaching out but then recoiling. 

"Boss," Fay motions at the store owner. "He says she's welcome to try whichever ones she wants. They're all display sets, so she can't hurt anything." Mew nods and thanks her. 

Pink looks terrified. He didn't expect his child to be so timid, after all her excitement to play the drums. Wasn't this what she wanted? He looks at Gulf, who shrugs back at him. 

Pass flicks one of the cymbals. The sound echoes clear and metallic through the store. "Niiiiice," he says, laughing. Pink perks up and laughs, too. 

"Papa, can I try them?" Her voice is so small. 

Mew scoops her up and places her on the stool, or throne, as he remembers it being called. "Which color sticks do you want? The pink ones?" 

She shakes her head and reaches for the black ones. "Awesome…" She taps lightly on the snare in front of her. 

Gulf eyeballs the size difference between the kit and his daughter. "Exactly how is this the junior set? She can't even reach the kick pedal."

"No worries, boss!" Pass makes some adjustments on the throne height. He spins Pink around and she giggles. "Can you press on this pedal, Nong?" 

She taps down on it with her foot. A low boom comes from the bass drum. She breaks out into a huge smile and turns to him. "Did you hear that, Pho?" 

"I did, noodle." He smiles at Pass. "You're going to have your hands full once she starts playing." 

"I got it covered!" He sits at the next kit and starts playing. Shia, he's good. Mew doesn't remember seeing this on his resume. "I can teach her myself, if you like."

He notices Gulf giving him a look and he laughs it off. "Let's discuss that tonight. First thing on our to do list is find a kit for Pink."

Fay appears at his side with a basket of items. When did she sneak off? "I did some research, and it says Vic Firth kidsticks are the best for children. They're size 5A and 13" but lightweight maple that shouldn't be too much for her to handle."

"Ah, and do they-"

She holds them up. "They come in black." 

"Perfect! What else is in there?" 

"Extra drum keys, extra high-hat hardware. Specialty ear plugs for her and N'Pass as the players, and regular ear plugs for the rest of us."

He laughs and shows them to Gulf. "She's thought of everything." 

"Not everything," says Gulf, holding up a box of drum mutes. "They're mats to place over the drums to muffle the sound." 

"They make low volume cymbals, too!" Pass points at a set with multiple holes in them. "I've used them before, they're really good." 

"Papa!" 

Everyone turns to see Pink at a drum kit with a leopard print design. She bangs on the toms and smiles. "I like this one!" 

Mew looks at his husband, who seems just as interested in the pattern. He knows exactly where his daughter inherited her taste. "And you say you're not a snob." 

Gulf grins and shrugs. "A sense of style is free, Thilak." 

____________________

"He did it again," Gulf grumbles as he gets into bed. It's been a month since they hired Pass and not a week has gone by that Gulf hasn't made some kind of comment. 

Mew looks up from his book. "Did what, baby?" 

"Pass did the laundry." 

Mew feigns anger. "Alai wa? How dare he!" 

He sighs and adjusts his pillow. "We didn't hire him as a housekeeper. Or a music teacher. I don't want him to think we expect him to do additional work." 

"Aw, Tua-aeng…" Mew nestles against his chest. "Look at how concerned you are for his well being."

"I don't want him to think we're unreasonable employers." 

He smiles and kisses his tummy. "We already pay him extra for drum lessons. If it makes you feel better, Pass isn't the one who did the laundry." 

"Don't tell me Fay did…"

He laughs and pokes at his husband's belly. "No, Tua-aeng. Pink did. Remember we wanted him to get her started on chores? He taught her to fold clothes today."

"Did he teach you, too?" 

"Aow." He hides his face in Gulf's shirt. "I know how to fold clothes." 

"Then you have no excuse."

"Okay, okay." Mew squeezes him. "But what do you think? About our staff na? It's been a month already." 

And what a month it's been. The house has never been noisier, the fridge has never been more full of food, and his daughter and husband have never looked happier. He still hasn't used the clothing app, though Mew has certainly put it to work, but the meal prep app has been a life saver.

"I think-" he freezes at the sound of a loud crash. "Alai- Pink!"

He and Mew rush downstairs to where the sound came from. 

"Pink?"

"Pink!"

They find her sitting on the floor of the family room, holding her foot. She's crying softly, not bothering to look up at them.

"Pink!" Gulf kneels down to hold her. "Baby, what happened?" 

"I did-didn't mean to," she sniffles. "I j-just w-wanted… I just wanted to see my d-drums again. I was gonna be quiet, I promise!" 

He smooths her hair and kisses her forehead. "We're not mad, baby. Your Papa and I were scared you got hurt."

Mew sits in front of her. "What happened to your foot, Neu-kai?" He opens her hands. No blood, no misshapen toes, no missing toenails.

"I stubbed it on the table." 

They both heave a sigh of relief. 

"Is it an intruder?" N'Pass barrels down the stairs with a badminton racket, skidding and sliding on the floors. "Is everyone okay?" He's panicky and out of breath. 

The three of them look at each other and laugh. N'Pass takes a deep breath and lowers his racket. "I take it I won't have to unleash my karate skills tonight?" 

"Not tonight," says Gulf, standing and patting him on the shoulder. "Come on, I think we could all use some hot cocoa." 

Mew picks up Pink and carries her to the kitchen. "Won't we have an exciting story to tell N'Fay when she gets here tomorrow." 

"She probably already knows," says Gulf. "I swear that woman is psychic. Look. I was worried we wouldn't have any." He holds up a brand new box of cocoa mix. 

Gulf wraps his arms around Mew as they wait for the kettle to boil. They watch as Pass helps Pink decide which mugs everyone should use. She looks so much more confident than she did just a month ago. Having Pass ask her questions has made a difference, after all. 

"I like having staff," he whispers to Mew. "I think you made the right call."

" _We_ made the right call, Tua-aeng." 


End file.
